active shooter
noun
plural active shooters
: a person who is illegally using a firearm to kill or try to kill people especially in a public place : a person who is shooting at people
Stunned shoppers and mall employees initially mistook the sound of glass breaking for gunshots, leading to false rumors of an active shooter.—
Caitlin Antonios
Caitlin Antoniosactive shooter drills
Examples of active shooter in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Jalin Seabron, 23, died after Douglas County Deputy Nicholas Moore shot at him nine times while responding to reports of an active shooter at Main Event, striking him with seven bullets in the back and side.
—Lauren Penington, Denver Post, 5 Feb. 2026
No active shooter was located there, and no shots were ever fired.
—Marybel Rodriguez, CBS News, 5 Feb. 2026
The university now uses that site for its Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training Center, with a mission to provide training for handling active shooter situations.
—Richard Webner, San Antonio Express-News, 5 Feb. 2026
There was no active shooter and no threat was found.
—Max Klaver, Miami Herald, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for active shooter
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Lauren Penington, Denver Post, 5 Feb. 2026
No active shooter was located there, and no shots were ever fired.
—Marybel Rodriguez, CBS News, 5 Feb. 2026
The university now uses that site for its Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training Center, with a mission to provide training for handling active shooter situations.
—Richard Webner, San Antonio Express-News, 5 Feb. 2026
There was no active shooter and no threat was found.
—Max Klaver, Miami Herald, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for active shooter
Cite this Entry
“Active shooter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/active%20shooter. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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